The numbers of Violet Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea) plants will usually increase after prairie fires because the grass fire stimulates germination of their seeds. I discovered several Violet Prairie Clovers growing in a grassy, formerly burned area along the Catalina Highway above Tucson.

Violet Prairie Clover actually is a prairie wildflower, but it is not a true clover, although it is in the Pea Family (Fabaceae) like clover. These attractive plants can be found growing in the grassy, upland areas near Tucson. Violet Prairie Clover is also used for wildflower gardens, roadside wildflower plantings, and in prairie restoration seed mixes.